As early as the mid-40s women were encouraged to take
part in the Communist army. Mao had
openly welcomed women to the Communist headquarters at Yan’an and praised them
for demonstrating their capabilities. After
the PRC was established, the state continued to endorse the goal of women’s
equality. In rural areas, the
nature of women’s work was also profoundly impacted by the collectivization of
agriculture and the mobilization of labor.
More and more women participated in farm labor.